The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.
Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to provide these vital services for local communities.
The Citizens Advice campaign Adding up aims to help children from disadvantaged families by working in partnership with schools. Over the years Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) have seen parents who are struggling to meet the costs of uniforms, PE kit, specialist equipment and trips. And our survey of 1000 people revealed parental concerns continue. See below for some information and resources which can help schools to help parents meet the costs of education.
Citizens Advice has come up with some best practice measures for decision makers to consider when setting and revising policy on school uniforms, trips and other areas involving costs to parents. Why not see if you can implement some or all of the top tips at your school. Tell us what measures your school has to help parents budget effectively. We would like to add these to our bank of good ideas and spread them for the benefit of others.
Second-hand uniform sales are a great way of reducing the costs of sending children to school. The National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTA) has produced some handy hints for schools. The guidance takes examples from schools that have introduced successful schemes for 'recycling' uniforms so that other pupils get the benefit. Please let us know if you are aware of a PTA that has introduced effective policies to help parents to meet school costs. Tell us your experience of how schemes are managed and administered so that we can pass on good practice to others via this campaign.
Are you a parent/carer with concerns over the cost of schooling? Perhaps you have tried to get a school uniform grant from your local authority and been told they no longer offer them. Or perhaps you’ve tried contacting your school about the cost of uniform/kit/trips and not felt listened to. The following guidance explains some steps you might like to consider in improving matters for yourself and other parents in the same position.
The School Admissions Code says schools should limit the expense of uniforms by ensuring that articles are widely available and that they should consider the cost of branded items. Items should be affordable and not disadvantage certain social groups.
Excerpt from the School Admissions Code (
98kb) - section of the code which deals with uniform and other cost related policiesYou may already be aware of our campaign as a result of receiving an Adding up campaign postcard. Available from CAB offices, the cards invite parents to fill in a short survey relating to policy of their child’s school and hand them in to the school. The idea is to raise awareness among parents and schools so that issues are addressed.
Adding up campaign postcard ( 59kb)Adding Up is a Citizens Advice briefing based on an online survey of 1000 parents plus evidence collected by CAB around the country. It shows why action is needed and recommends how your school can help parents struggling to meet the costs of education.
Adding up evidence briefing ( 0.55mb)What is happening at your school? What tips does your school have for helping parents with the costs of education? We want to hear from you so that we can put together good ideas for the benefit of others.
